Switchboard signal



,DecL 27,19 4 v J. ERICKSON 5 325 ISWITGHBOARD SIGNAL Filed Oct. 27, 1924 I 'ImrEIfluF E 215F255 J Emcksun Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE;

CHARLES J. EnIoKson, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY Mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS, r AMERICAN nnncraro company, INC., on onIoAeo, ILLINOIS, A oonronn- 'IION OF MAINE.

swIroIIBoARn SIGNAL.

Application filed October 27, 1924. Serial. N0. 745,978.

This invention relates in general to switchboard signals.

. More specifically it relates to improved means for operating and controlling a switchboard signal of the double supervisory type in which the signals are first displayed by a subscriber and are then restored by the operation of the operators ringing or listening key.

The object of my invention is toprovide improved signals of the above character and.v

also to provide improved controlling means therefor which are of simple construction,

so as to be readily manufactured and so mounted as to provide ease and accuracy of operation and to prevent their getting out of Fig. 3 is a top view showing the windowed guard and the visual signal. a

Fig. 4 is a detailed drawingv of the lever or connecting link which extends between the restoring key and the signals which it controls. 1

Referring to Fig. 1 in more detaihthe escntcheon 1 is arranged to fit into the switchboard key shelf. Rigidly attached to this escutcheon are the magnet mounting brackets 2, the key bodies 3 and 4, and the bushing 5 which forms a bearing for the pin 18 of the restoring lever 14. This re storing lever 14, which is an essential part of this invention, extends along the under side of the escutcheon and is rotated under the control of key 4 to restore the signals 13 to their normal position. This drawing shows the left hand signal 13 in an operated position and the right hand-signal in its normal position. It will be noted that the former signal has rotated in a clockwise direction about its bearing pin 29 coming to rest in such a position that the ball 12 of the signal 13 has closed the springs 31.

This ball 12 is also resting against the proection 15 of the restoring lever. 14 for a pur-' pose which will be hereinafter explained. The signal or shutterl3 consists of a hemispherical member which is at all times visible through the windows of the cover plate 30. This shutter is made in two distinctive colors, one, usually black, which is visible when the signal is in the normal position, harmonizes with its surroundings and does not attract attention, the other, visible when the signal is operated, contrasts with its surroundings and attracts attention.

It will be understoodthat the keys 3 and 4 and the magnets 6 and 7 are incorporated in the operators cord circuit of any-well known manual system. I The key 3 is operated by moving its lever-to the right to establish the so-called ring-back circuit. The operation of this key does not operate the restoring lever and is therefore not an essential part of this invention. Key 4 is a com bined ringing and listening key. When it-is operated to the right, it closes a ringingcircuit. When operated to the left, it looks in operated position and closes the listening circuit. When operated to the left the key 4 also operates the restoring lever 14 to restore the signals which are in operated posi- I tion.

Fig.2 which is a partial section of the signal is drawn in the reverse of Fig. 1 so that more detail may be shown. The view is taken at the completion of the restoring operation, with lever 14 in the'position occupied at the completion of its rotation. Like parts bear similar reference numerals in the two figures. The'shutters of the signals 13 are sectioned to show the balls 12 which are within, and the bearings 29 about which the shutters rotate. The ball 12 forms a weight which rotates the shutter to its operated position after it has been started by the operation of armature 20, and also furnish a surface against which the projection15 of the restoring'lever 14 operates to restore the 0 signal. The armature20 contains the latch 32 and the projection 16,. the projection be ing bent up and back so that it will engage the lever 11 of the shutter 13. The armature in its normal position rest-s against the backstop 33 which is included as a part of the spring assembly 31.

Fig. 3 is a top view of one end of the escutcheon, showing one of the signals. The hemispherical guard contains two win dows, covered by the celluloid 36 through which the signal shutter 13 is visible. This celluloid is hemispherical and covers the en- The pins 18 which form a bearing about which the lever is rotated are shown at on posito ends of the figure. The pin at the left hand end 01* the figure fits into the .magnet mounting bracket 2 of Fig. 1 and the pin at the right of the figure tits into the bearing in the bushing 5 of Fig. 1. The shoulder rests against the screw 34 which is shown in. both Figs. 1 and 2, to lock the lever into the assembly. Projections 15 are the signal restoring projections and 17 is a projection which engages the cam 19 of the restoring key 4.

It will be understood that the signals 6 and '7 are operated by the subscriber to re-signal the operator after his connection has been completed. When the subscriber energizes the magnet 7 of the signal the armature 20 is pulled down so that the latch 32 is depressed below the lower point of the lever 11, thus leaving the signal free to rotate in a clockwise direction. The operation of the armature 20 also causes the armature projec-tion 16 to press down upon the wedgeshaped portion 01 the signal lever 11 in such a manner that the lever is pushed to the left, Fig. 1, and the signal definitely started to its operated position.

The operator upon seeing the signal throws her listening key to the lettto listen in'on the cord circuit. When the key 1; is

thrown to the left the cam 19 moves up andengages the projection 17 of the signal reot the lever 11, in which position storing lever 1 1 and rotates the lever around its bearing pins 18. This rotation moves the projection 15 in an upward direction and raises the ball 12 of the signal 13 thereby causing the signal to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about its bearing pin 29, as seen in Fig. 1. The lever 11 moves down against the latch 32. The lower end of the lever 11 is wedge-shaped so that as the lever continues to travel to its normal tures adapted to be attracted thereby, signals adapted to occupy either a displayed or a concealed position, means carried by such armatures for normally holding the associated signal in a concealed position, and

means rotatedby said operators key for moving said signals from a displayed to a concealed position, said means comprising a bar having its ends pivoted adjacent a signal and said key respectively.

2. In a telephone switchboard signal, an operators key, vertically disposed electromagnets with arinatures adapted to .be attracted thereby, signals adapted to occupy either a displayed or a concealed position, means carried by such armatures for nor mally holding the associated signal in a concealed position, and a lever rotated by said operators key in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of said key for moving said signals from a displayed to a concealed position.

3. In a telephone switchboard signal, an operators key, vertically disposed electromagnets with horizontallydisposed armatures adapted to be attracted thereby, signals adapted to occupy either a displayed or aconcealed position, means carried by such armatures tor normally holding the associated signals in av concealed position, and

means rotated by said operators key'in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of said key for moving said signal from a displayed to a concealed position.

t. In a telephone switchboard signal, an operators key, electromagnets with armatures adapted to be attracted thereby, signals each consisting of a shutter adapted to occupy either a displayed or a concealed position, means carried by said shutters for engaging such armatures when the shutters are in a concealed position, and means comprising a horizontal bar pivoted at points adjacent a shutter and said key respectively rotated by said operators key for moving said shutters from a displayed to a concealed po sition.

5. In a telephone switchboard signa1,an operators key, electromagnets with armatures adapted to be attracted thereby, signals adapted to occupy either a displayed or a concealed position, means carried by such armatures for normally holding the associated signal in a concealed position, a member having port-ions engaging said key and said slgnals, said key being operable to raise the portion of the member engaging it to rotate the member and also raise the portions engaging the signals to restore said signals to a concealed position.

6. In a telephone switchboard signal, a shutter, anelectroinagnet with an armature located between the shutter and the magnet and attracted thereby, said shutter arranged to occupy either a displayed or a concealed position and having a projection arranged to engage said armature, and two projections on said armature, one projection on said armature engaging one side of said projection on the shutter to hold said shutter in its concealed position, the other projection of said armature engaging the opposite side of said project-ion of the shutter as the armature moves to its operated position to definitely start the shutter to its display-ed position.

7. In a telephone switchboard signal of the enclosed type, an operators key, a plurality of signals, each with a concealed and a displayed position, extensions on said signals having their free ends formed into a double incline, electromagnets with armatures with latch mechanism arranged to engage and ride over the apex of the incline of the extensions to hold the associated signals in their concealed position when normal and to start the signals to their displayed position by forcing the extension over the apex of the incline when energized, and means rotated by said key for restoring the signals to their normal positions.

8. In atelephone switchboard supervisory signal, a rotatable hemispherical shutter comprising two sections, a hemispherical cover guard containing windows, a latch, a lever projecting from said shutter at right angles to its axis and terminating in a Wedge-shaped portion arranged to engage said latch, means for releasing said latch and rotating said shutter about a horizontal axis to expose one of its sections through said windows, a weight within said shutter arranged to assist said rotation, and means for rotating said shutter in the opposite direction to expose the other said section and to bring said lever into engagement with said latch.

9. In a telephone switchboard supervisory signal, a rotatable shutter, a lever projecting at right angles from the axis of the shutter and terminating in a wedge-shaped portion, a magnet having an armature, a projection on said armature which engages a surface of said wedge to move the shutter when the magnet is energized, another projection on the armature, means for moving the lever past said other projection and into contact with the first projection, said other projection holding the shutter in its last mentioned position.

10. In a telephone switchboard, the combination of an operators key and supervisory signals, said signals consisting of shutters arranged to rotate about an axis from a normal to an operated position, a lever projecting from each shutter at right angles to said axis, a ball attached within each of said shutters, a lever having projections arranged to engage said balls, and an- 7 other projection arranged to engage said key, said lever being pivoted at each end and arranged to rotate about its longitudinal axis under the control of said key to restore said signals to their normal positions.

' 11. In a telephone switchboard device, a.

signal having a concealed and a displayed position, an extension on the signal having its free end formed into a double incline, and a magnet, for controlling said signal, having an armature provided with two projections, one of which rides one side of said double incline of said extension and which engages said extension to hold the signal in its concealed position; the other projection engaging the opposite side of said double incline of said extension to definitely start the signal to its displayed position when said armature is attracted by the magnet.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23d day of October, A. 1).,

CHARLES J. ERIGKSON. 

